Code mechanism for code locks



Oct. 5, 1965 c. A. NQRREMARK CODE MECHANISM FOR CODE LOCKS Filed June 29, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mauve. G. Qegn-ou ATTORNEY Oct. 5, 1965 c. A. NQRREMARK CODE' MECHANISM FOR CODE LOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1962 INVENTOR C. nfis 'vam A 0m in-em 23% BY 393mm. an; em-r ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, 1965 c. A. NQRREMARK CODE MECHANISM FOR CODE LOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV EN TOR 3:. me E- s wn:

ATTORNEY Oct. 5, 1965 c. A. NQRREMARK $309,566

CODE MECHANISM FOR CODE LOCKS Filed June 29, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR United States Patent M 3,209,566 CUBE MECHANHSM FQR CUBE LOCKS Christian Albert Nprremark, 37 Vabenstedvej, Herlev, Denmark Filed June 29, 1962, Ser. No. 206,358 Claims priority, application Denmark, July 3, 1961, 2,730/61, 2,731/61 Claims. (Cl. '70304) The present invention relates to code mechanisms for code locks of the art having two rotatable toothed tumbler code discs mounted in the lock case on a slide adapted as well for sideways displacements causing engagement with pawls placed in the lock case for stepwise turning the code discs as also for displacements up and down causing opening and closing of the lock.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a code mechanism or" the kind referred to, enabling the lock to be constructed with a much smaller number of parts than in the known locks of the same kind and nevertheless presenting the corresponding number of combinations, and which consequently can be manufactured considerably cheaper than known locks having a similar number of combinations.

In known code locks of this kind the tumbler code discs individually are set successively, and the digits of the code are defined by the total number of steps which the code discs are moved forward during the setting. This necessitates the use of a relatively great number of tumblers in order to obtain a satisfactory number of combinations. Moreover, it is necessary between the tumbler code discs to build in relatively complicated mechanism to keep the code discs free for setting during the setting movement by which they may not be influenced, and it is necessary to use individual pawls for each tumbler disc.

According to the present invention a satisfactory number of combinations are obtained by making use only of two tumbler code discs, and by using uncomplicated parts, thereby affording great security against undue opening.

This result is obtained by placing the teeth on the one of said code discs side by side in a continuous row, whereas the teeth on the other of the said discs are placed in groups separated from each other by toothfree gaps.

Thus by using only two code discs without any intermediate mechanism it is possible to obtain a number of combinations which is even greater than the number of combinations which formerly have been obtainable by making use of four code discs. This is obtained because both code discs according to the invention are moved sideways by each setting movement, and because the correct rotation of the code-discs automatically takes place, if the setting movements are executed in the correct sequence. In fact, by any deviation from the correct sequence the two code discs will be displaced relative to each other so that no release of the lock will be possible.

Since the two code discs are moved forward together by each setting movement, and since they can lie close together because no mechanism has to be placed between them, it is possible, according to the invention, to use common pawls for the two code discs.

On account of the simple construction of the tumbler code discs the pawls may, according to the invention, consist of leaf springs so that it is not necessary as heretofore to use separate springs.

To secure exact working of the code discs, it is advantageous that the moment of friction acting against the rotation of the code discs is greater for the code-discs provided with interrupted rows of teeth than for the other code-disc thereby securing that the first named disc is not carried along by the second in case of incorrect setting.

In the known locks of this type a guide plate displace- Bidhfifib Patented Get. 5, i965 able in two directions at right angles to each other, viz. partly the setting direction and partly the maneuvering directions is used. This requires the application of an extra slide and two return springs which will give a rather vulnerable and complicated construction.

It is an object of the invention to provide a code-mechanism construction in such a manner that through the influence of one and the same return spring the pin and the tumbler unit can be returned as well in the lateral direction as in the maneuvering direction.

This is obtained quite simply by constructin the guide plate in such a manner that it is displaceable as well as tiltable relative to the lock casing. Thereby the fixing of the neutral position of the guide plate and the mounting of the return spring, is obtained simply by permitting the spring to function in the center of the guide plate.

A constructional simple embodiment of a code lock mechanism according to said principle may, according to the invention, be obtained in the way that the guide plate is located behind an opening in the front plate and has a bent edge extending at right angles to the maneuvering direction and through the opening of the front plate and being partly displaceable along said opening, partly forming a tilting abutment against an edge in the opening. By this arrangement both the guiding of the guide plate relative to the front plate and the fixing of the neutral position of the guide plate is established by means of two plates only which can be made simply by ordinary plate work.

In another embodiment of a code lock according to the invention the guide plate is only disp'laceable in the maneuvering direction and has for engagement for the pin an opening with inclined edges tapering to a point. Thus a very sturdy construction, which does not leave any possibility for the .plates being displaceable relative to each other in any undesired manner even by strong unintended outer infiuences is obtained.

The invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of a code lock, according to the invention, viewed from the front,

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the lock according to the line II-II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the lock seen from behind,

FIG. 4 is an e'levational view of a slide incorporated in the lock with tumbler code unit, seen from behind,

FIG. 5 is a view the same as FIG. 4 after removal of a tumbler code disc,

FIG. 6 is a view the same as FIG. 4 after removal of a spning and a further tumbler code disc,

FIG. 7 is a view of a spring disc arranged between the tumbler code discs in FIGS. 4 and 5,

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the lock front plate with guide plate mounted thereon, viewed from the inside, and

FIG. 9 a corresponding view of an embodiment.

The lock mechanism illustrated in the drawing comprises a lock casing consisting of a front plate 1 and side walls 2 and 3 constructed in one piece with the front plate, and a rear plate 4,. The front plate has an opening which is substantially shaped as a rectangle 5 having an upper narrower part 6 and a vertically extending slot 7 at the top and 8 at the bottom. Immediately behind the openings 5, 6, 7, 8 in the front plate there is arranged a guide plate 9 having a bent edge 10 which extends into the opening in the front plate and by means of a screw spring 11 mounted in the slot 8 normally is kept in abutment against the lower edge of the rectangular part 5 of said opening. The guide plate may by the tension of the spring 11 be displaced as well upwards along the front plate 11,

3 as well as tilted to one or the other side, whereby the corresponding end of its bent edge in abutment against the lower edge of the rectangular part 5 of the opening in the front plate acts as fulcrum. The guide plate 9 has a vertical slot 12 which in the normal position flushes with the vertical slot 7 in the front plate.

Behind the guide plate 9 there is a maneuvering slide 13 which is displaceable in the vertical direction in the lock casing. The maneuvering slide 13 rests on two pressed up ribs 14 on the front plate 1 and is provided with bent side pieces 15 gliding against the inner side of the side walls 2 and 3 of the lock. The maneuvering slide has a big rectangular cut-out 16. Behind the latter there is a setting slide 17 which is horizontally displaceably mounted on the maneuvering slide 13. The setting slide carries a through pin or shaft 18. It extends forward through the cut-out 16 in the maneuvering slide, the slot 12 in the guide plate 9 and the opening in the front plate 1 of the lock casing, and serves for the setting and maneuvering of the lock and may in front of the front plate be provided with a maneuvering knob (not shown). The pin 13 continues behind the setting slide 17 and carries at this place two rotatable code-discs 19 and 20. The innermost of said code discs 19 rests against an annular flange 21 on the guide slide 17, while the outermost code disc 29 abuts against a shoulder 22 on the end of the inwardly extending portion of the pin 18. Between the two tumbler discs is inserted a domed spring disc 23 (FIGS. 2 and 7), code discs under tension between the annular flange 21 and the shoulder 22. Therefore, rotation in relation to the pin 18 can only be performed when overcoming a counteracting frictional effect. This is greater as far as the innermost tumbler code disc 19 is concerned, because the frictional effect from the annular flange 21 acts on a greater radius than the frictional effect from the shoulder 22.

The side pieces 15 of the maneuvering slide 13 are fastened to resilient pawls 24 and 25 for cooperation with teeth 26 and 27 on the code disc 20 and teeth 28 and 29 on the code disc 19. The cooperation between the pawls and the teeth will be described later below. Each pawl is provided with a tongue extending down into an incision, 30 and 31 respectively in the maneuvering slide 13 for the purpose of maintaining the pawls in a definite position by the spring tension.

On the inner side of the rear plate 4 is arranged a horizontally displaceable release slide 32 having a bent tongue 33 extending out through a horizontal slot 34 in the rear plate and standing under the influence of a spring 35 mounted on the rear side of the rear plate. The release slide 32 has on its inner side a vertical cam 36 and an oblique cam 37 for cooperation with a backwardly extending nose 38 on the maneuvering slide 13.

On the rear side of the rear plate 4 is arranged a vertically displaceable blocking slide 39, standing under the influence of a spring 49. The blocking slide 39 has a bent tongue 41 which is displaceable in a slot 42 in the rear plate. On the edge facing the release slide 32 the blocking slide 39 has an incision 43 in cooperation with the tongue 33 of the release slide in a manner to be described further below.

The teeth on the code discs 29, 19 respectively fall into two sections designed for cooperation with individual pawls 24 and 25, when the setting slide is displaced in the direction towards the pawl in question. Each of the teeth sections 26 and 27 of the tumbler disc 21 consists of an unbroken row of teeth. In the teeth sections 28 and 29 of the tumbler disc 19 some gaps defining the code have no teeth. The pawls 24 and 25 have such a width that they can cooperate simultaneously with both code discs.

The mode of operation of the lock is as follows:

It is assumed that the lock is locked. The unlocking now takes place by the act of the pin 18 according to the code being first pushed a certain number of times to the left and thereafter a certain number of times to the right and finally again a definite number of times to the left whereby the code is determined by placing an extension of the gaps in the tooth sections of the code disc 19. By thesse movements of the pin 18 the setting slide 17 is moved sideways, thereby bringing the tooth sections on the code discs into engagement with the pawls 24 and 25 respectively. By every movement, the code disc 20 is moved one tooth forward. The code disc 19, however, is only turned forward in such cases where it has a tooth standing in position to engage the pawl. When maneuvered in accordance with the code the two tumbler discs will keep pace with each other. If, however, a mistake is made in the maneuvering, i.e. if one of the displacements is undertaken in the wrong direction, the code disc 20 alone will be turned one tooth forward whereas the code disc 19 will remain stationary. Thus the two code discs will be displaced relative to each other, and they can no more be brought into the correct mutual position such that a notch 44 in the code disc 20 and a corresponding notch 45 in the code disc 19 are positioned opposite each other. If, for instance, a displacement is undertaken once less to the left than required, the code disc 19 will not be turned one tooth forward, when thereafter moved to the right. If on the other hand a displacement to the left is undertaken once more than required, the code disc 19 will not be turned forward by the last displacement. In both instances the result will consequently be that the code disc 20 will get one tooth forward in relation to the code disc 19. As the code disc 20 will be turned forward by each movement, the code disc 19 thereafter will never be able to catch up with the delay. The notches 44 and 45 therefore have come out of register and cannot by any subsequent setting maneuver be brought into register again.

If the correct number of displacements are undertaken in the correct sequence from left to right, the two notches 44 and 45 will remain in register with each other and will at least both appear at a position vertically under the pin 18.

When the setting maneuver has been terminated, opening of the lock will be brought about by pressing the pin 18 downwards. By this operation the maneuvering slide 13 will as a unit move downwards.

Provided the notches 44 and 45 are in their correct position for opening the lock they will glide down over the tongue 41 of the blocking slide 39, and when the bottom of the notches reaches the tongue 41, the blocking slide 39 will be carried along downwards. At the same time the nose 38 of the maneuvering slide 13 will slide along the cam 36 of the release slide 32. When the nose 33 gets below the lower end of the cam 36, the release slide 32 will be released and try to slide to the right-hand side in FIG. 3 under the influence of the spring 35. This movement is possible if the notch 43 in the blocking slide 39 is located opposite the tongue 33 which will be the case when as mentioned above the tongue 41 has reached the bottoms in the notches 44 and 45 before the blocking slide 39 is carried along in the downward movement of the maneuvering slide 13.

If, on the other hand, the notches 44 and 45 are not in a position in register with each other and vertically under the pin 18, the blocking slide 39 will be carried along downwards when the edges of the code discs hit the tongue 41. When the nose 33 gets below the cam 36 of the release slide 32, the blocking slide 39 will consequently have got so far down that the notch 43 will not be located opposite the tongue 33 so that the release slide 32 cannot be displaced towards the right-hand side.

The displacement of the release slide 32 towards the right-hand side may be utilized in any known manner for the opening of the lock. It can for instance displace a latch, close or interrupt an electric circuit, displace a solenoid core or any other locking member. The manner in which the release movement of the slide 32 is utilized for actuating such locking member, does not form any part of the present invention.

The locking takes place by moving the pin 18 vertically upwards. By this operation the nose 38 of the maneuvering slide 13 hits the oblique cam 37 of the release slide 32 and will consequently move the release slide towards left in FIG. 3. At the same time the code discs 19 and 20 are moved free of the tongue 41 of the blocking slide 39 so that the blocking slide can move upwards under the influence of the spring 40. As soon as the tongue of the release slide 32 has moved free of the cut-out 43, the blocking slide 39 will consequently be displaced in the upward direction in such a manner that the cut-out 43 will be displaced relative to the tongue 33 whereby the release slide 32 is blocked. By a further upward movement of the pin 18 the two tongues 46 and 47 on the code disc 20 (FIG. 4) are brought into engagement with two cams 48 on the inner side of the rear plate 4. Thus the code disc 20 is cleared.

A projection 49 on the code disc 19 extending through cut-out 50 in the spring disc 23 and into a cut-out 51 in the code disc 20 will cause the code disc 19 to be carried along during the clearing movement of the code disc 20. The projection 49 has so much play in the cut-out 51 that there is nothing to prevent a mutual displacement of the code discs during incorrect maneuvering. This displacement need not comprise more than one single tooth division in order to secure that an incorrect code setting does not result in the opening of the lock.

The guide plate 9 serves to carry the pin 18 back to neutral position, irrespective of whether it has been displaced to the right or to the left or upwards in the slot 7. By a movement of the pin to the left or to the right the return movement takes place in the way that the guide plate is tilted back to vertical position whereby one of the side edges of the slot 12 presses on the pin 18. The return movement of the pin from vertically displaced position takes place by a vertically sliding movement of the guide plate whereby the upper edge of the slot 12 will press against the pin 18. In both instances it is one and the same spring, viz. the screw spring 11, that undertakes the return movement.

Another embodiment of a guide plate capable of undertaking the return movement of the pin 18 in as well vertical as horizontal direction under the influence of one and the same return spring is shown in FIG. 9. The guide plate 52 is here vertically guided relatively to the front I, seeing that it fills out its whole width. It has in this embodiment instead of the vertical slot 12 a cut-out 53 which at the top is limited by two oblique edges 54 and 55 tapering into a point. The guide plate 52 is under the influence of a return spring 56. In case of vertical displacement of the pin 18 the latter will move into the angular point between the oblique edges 54 and 55 and will thus pull the guide plate upwards. In case of horizontal displacement of the pin 18 the latter will glide against one or the other of the oblique edges 54 and 55 and will thus also push the guideplate upwards. In both cases the spring 56 will be tensioned so that the spring when releasing the pin 18 will pull the plate 52 downwards and thus displace the pin 18 to neutral position.

I claim:

1. In code mechanism for a code lock having a lock case, the combination of at least two slide means arranged in said case, the first one of said means being displaceable in a vertical direction, the second one of said means being displaceably mounted on said first one of said means, a shaft carried by said second one of said means, at least two spaced apart rotatable code discs carried by said shaft, at least two pawls secured to said first one of said means, one of said discs having teeth adjacently arranged in a continuous row, the other of said discs having teeth arranged in groups separated by tooth free gaps, said second one of said means being movable by said shaft sidewisely for engagement of said discs with said pawls respectively, whereby said discs are independently rotated according to a predetermined code, said first and second means being displaceable by said shaft for opening and closing said lock, respectively.

2. Code mechanism, according to claim 1, comprising a spring connected at one end to said first one of said means, a guide plate slidably positioned in contact with a sidewall in said lock and being connected to said first one of said means by said spring, said sidewall having an opening, an edge of said guide plate being bent inwardly for abutment against an inner edge in said opening.

3. In code mechanism for a lock having a lock case, the combination of slide means arranged in said case, said means comprising a first slide which is displaceable in a vertical direction and a second slide which is horizontally displaceably mounted on said first slide, pawls secured to said first slide, a shaft carried by said second slide, at least two spaced apart rotatable discs carried by said shaft, at least two pawls secured to said first slide, said one of said discs having teeth adjacently arranged in a continuous row, the other of said discs having teeth arranged in groups separated by toothfree gaps, said second slide being movable by said shaft sidewisely for engagement of said discs with said pawls respectively, whereby said discs are indepei,dently rotated according to a predetermined code, and means including said first slide for opening and closing said lock, respectively.

4. Code mechanism according to claim 3, comprising a spring connected at one end to one of said slides, a guide plate slidably positioned in contact with a sidewall in said lock and being connected to one of said slides by said spring, said sidewall having an opening, an edge of said guide plate being bent inwardly for abutment against an inner edge in said opening.

5. In code mechanism for a code lock having a lock case, the combination of slide means arranged in said case, said means comprising a maneuvering slide which is displaceable in a vertical direction and a setting slide which is horizontally displaceably mounted on said maneuvering slide, a shaft engaging said setting slide, at least two spaced apart rotatable code discs carried by said shaft, at least two pawls secured to said maneuvering slide, said one of said discs having teeth adjacently arranged in a continuous row, the other of said discs having teeth arranged in groups separated by toothfree gaps, said setting slide being movable by said shaft sidewisely for engagement of said discs with said pawls respectively, whereby said discs are independently rotated according to a predetermined code, means including said maneuvering slide which is displaceable by said shaft, for opening and closing said lock, respectively.

No references cited.

ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner. 

3. IN CODE MECHANISM FOR A LOCK HAVING A LOCK CASE, THE COMBINATION OF SLIDE MEANS ARRANGED IN SAID CASE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING OF FIRST SLIDE WHICH IS DISPLACEABLE IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION AND A SECOND SLIDE WHICH IS HORIZONTALLY DISPLACEABLE MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST SLIDE, PAWLS SECURED TO SAID FIRST SLIDE, A SHAFT CARRIED BY SAID SECOND SLIDE, AT LEAST TWO SPACE APART ROTATABLE DISCS CARRIED BY SAID SHAFT, AT LEAST TWO PAWLS SECURED TO SAID FIRST SLIDE, SAID ONE OF SAID DISCS HAVING TEETH ADJACENTLY ARRANGED IN A CONTINUOUS ROW, THE OTHER OF SAID DISCS HAVING TEETH ARRANGED IN GROUPS SEPARATED BY TOOTHFREE GAPS, SAID SECOND SLIDE BEING MOVABLE BY SAID SHAFT SIDEWISELY FOR ENGAGEMENT OF SAID DISCS WITH SAID PAWLS RESPECTIVELY, WHEREBY SAID DISCS ARE INDEPENDENTLY ROTATED ACCORDING TO A PREDETERMINED CODE, AND MEANS INCLUDING SAID FIRST SLIDE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID LOCK, RESPECTIVELY. 